What is the Mid Day Meals programme?

It provides free lunches to school children in India to reduce hunger and improve attendance.

What are the main goals of the Mid Day Meals programme?

To improve children's nutrition and increase school attendance by eliminating hunger.

Who is eligible for the Mid Day Meals programme?

Students aged 6-14 attending government or government-supported schools in India.

Who is not eligible for the Mid Day Meals programme?

Students in secondary or higher education and those in private schools not covered by the programme.

How to apply for the Mid Day Meals programme?

Register at your school; the school administration will verify eligibility based on age, school type, and income.

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Mid-Day Meal Programme: A Healthy Brain In A Healthy Body

Neha Gupta

Author

Updated: 28-01-2025 at 6:45 AM

Mid-Day Meal Programme: A Healthy Brain In A Healthy Body

The Mid Day Meals program provides free lunches to school children across India. The goal is to reduce hunger and malnutrition, and increase school attendance. Under this government program, children in elementary and middle schools receive a hot cooked meal each day.

What Are The Goals Of Mid-Day Meals Program?

The Mid Day Meals program has two primary goals.

First, it aims to improve children's nutrition so they can grow and develop properly. It ensures children get a balanced diet with important nutrients.
Second, is to increase the number of children that go to school and study by removing hunger as a barrier. This also encourages parents to send their kids to school.

What Are The Benefits Of The Mid-Day Meal Programme?

Benefits Of The Mid-Day Meal Program are as follows:

Improved health and development for children through better nutrition.
Higher school attendance and retention rates.
Less malnutrition-related health issues for school kids.
Better concentration and learning for children.
Equal access to nutritious meals for all kids regardless of family income.
Reduced financial burden on families since meals are free.
New local jobs are created to implement the program.

What Are The Eligibility Criteria For The Mid-Day Meal Programme?

To qualify for the program, a student must fit into these categories:

Students must attend government or government-supported schools in India.
Children from ages 6 to 14 are eligible but age rules may vary by state/region.
The govt scheme aims to help kids from poorer and marginalised communities.
Kids must regularly attend school to receive the mid-day meals.
Children must be enrolled in recognised schools approved by education authorities.

Who Is Not Eligible For This Programme?

Below mentioned individuals are not eligible for this programme:

Students attending secondary school or higher education.
Students enrolled in private schools not covered by the government program.
Schools or regions that already have other meal programs.

How To Apply For The Mid-Day Meal Programme?

To apply for this scheme, you must:

Register at your school. Parents need to fill out a form from the school administration.
The school will check if the student qualifies. They will look at age, going to a recognised school, and family income. They may ask for papers or meet with parents.
If approved, the school will let parents know their child can get meals. They will share when meals start and any other details.
To keep getting meals, the student must go to school regularly. The school will check attendance records.
During the day, students will get their meals at school. Meals may be in classrooms or a dining area depending on the school.
The school may check how well the program is working. They may ask students, parents and teachers for feedback to make improvements.

What Are The Documents Required For This Programme?

Important documents to avail of the benefits of this scheme include:

Proof of birthdate or age for the student
ID like an Aadhaar card
School registration
Bank details if money is deposited directly

Conclusion

School feeding programme is a very important one as it combats hunger, malnutrition and truancy at the same time. Ensuring that children receive proper meals at school, boosts school attendance, decreases cases of dropping out and enhances the nutritional and academic well-being of millions of students in India. Such a programme is a tiny beginning towards an attempt at providing the future generation with a healthier and more educated population.

Introduction

For more detailed info and guidelines, log in on the official govt. website by clicking here.

Frequently Asked Questions